We
have once again released another top quality, yet low priced sound library for
you. This time it’s all about
noise! Static and radio
transmissions. This actually came about
when DB Productions was working on a video that had many digital distortion
edits. Seeing the distortion on the
screen looked pretty cool, but it definitely needed a sound. Enter, this library.

In
today’s world, there are tons of record companies and labels out there. Some promise to make you the next biggest
thing, others will help you produce an album, others will sign you for life,
and then there is United Artists Alliance Music. The one that is… different.

I
have put off writing this article for a while because I didn’t want to burn
anyone too bad, but after I had the misfortune of working for them, and time
has gone on past the point to which I really don’t care anymore, I figured that
I would let all of you potential artists or production assistants know to
beware of these guys. In short, they are one of the most
disorganized, poorly run, and poorly prepared group of people that I have
worked for; and I’ve done a lot of side jobs for a lot of people.

I
have constantly run into situations when listening to a movie or video game and
said, “that’s not the right sound!” My
solution? I am releasing sound libraries
to combat that. As of writing this blog
post, there are only two, but there are plenty more on the way.

So
far they are car specific libraries: a 2002 Chevy Blazer and a custom 2005 V6
Mustang. Now the next time you are
working on a movie and need those two vehicles, you have the right sounds! Don’t need those exact ones? Well the Blazer is perfect for any full sized
SUV, and the Mustang is great for any sports car!

So
what do you get? Basically if it makes a sound, it’s recorded. This is everything from door locks, glovebox opening
and closing, engine loops at idle,
mid range RPM, and high RPM from inside, in front, and behind the vehicles,
drive-bys, creaks and rattles, and SO MUCH MORE.

Each
library has over 60 files, and most files have more than one sound giving you a
crazy amount of sound effects to use!

Want
more? Well, the first one is free. That’s
right, for a limited time, the 2002 Chevy Blazer is yours to download at no
charge. Enjoy these libraries, and let
me know what you use them for!

If
you have read Part One of Sound at Sea, then you know that I am the
sound technician aboard the Carnival
Miracle. You also know what I do,
and about the shows. I know that a lot
of you care about audio gear, so let’s get into that.

Carnival
uses quite a bit a gear.We have some
old stuff, some new stuff, some good stuff, some questionable stuff, and so
on.However, all of it serves a purpose,
and it does what it is supposed to do.We have a main lounge (like a theater) where the main shows happen, and
many smaller lounges throughout the ship that have their own gear.

Disclaimer: I can’t get into too much
detail, due to a signed contract, but everything that I am telling you, you can
physically see for yourself if you are ever onboard since all of the audio gear
is exposed in public spaces.

Many
of you avid readers may be wondering where I have been.In short, I have been on a journey, but most
of you don’t come here to read things “in short”, so let’s get into where I
have been.For the past month (and for
the next five months), I have been working on the M/s Carnival
Miracle as their sound tech.I have
decided to start up this series to not only tell you where I have been, but
also about life at sea, and the job itself.So, join me aboard the Carnival Miracle for my journey.

First
off, I would like to debunk any negative stigmas about Carnival.Yes, the media likes to pick on Carnival Cruise Lines because of some
incidences in the past, but things happen to every cruise line.Carnival is one of the biggest cruise lines
in the world, and it got like that for a reason: people like the cruises.You don’t get to be the biggest for
nothing.I am not just saying all of
this because I have to as an employee, because I don’t; I am saying this
because this is what I have observed.

If
you are like me, you don’t always have time to sit down and read a book. However, regardless if you are an armature, hobbyist,
or a pro in the recording industry, it never hurts to read a little something
every now and then they may give you some good insight. I know, I know. Who reads books anymore? If it’s worth it, you should.

The
book Professional
Microphone Techniques by David Miles Huber and
Philip Williams really gives some good insight about recording just about any instrument
that you can think of. It is well illustrated,
well written, and includes a CD so you can actually hear the different microphone
placements.

The book
is broken up into well laid out and chronological sections (AKA chapters). It starts out with an introduction to
microphones followed by the basics of them.
To the pros, this may be common knowledge, but to the amateur, or weekend
recording warrior, they may now realize why directional microphones work they
way they do, or why 48 volts of phantom power should be used on condenser mics. After you cover the concepts of basic
placement, then you get into the good stuff: miking instruments.

I
have had some time to really mess around with the Xbox One. Since this is not a game review blog, I’ll
stick to the audio side of this. There is
more to talk about then you probably think.
So let’s dive into the expected, unexpected, and just flat out strange
audio aspects of the Xbox One.

Microsoft released the
Xbox One to the North American market on November 22, 2013 a few days
behind Sony’s release of the PS4. The
highly anticipated console had a few unanticipated drawbacks for me. The Xbox One only has two audio outputs: HDMI
and optical. This for me was a huge let
down.